The “scathing” report released by the Department of Justice on Wednesday laid bare the systemic bias and abuse that pervades Ferguson’s police department and municipal court system.
The US attorney general, Eric Holder, called Ferguson a “highly toxic environment” and that said the investigation turned up “no alternative explanation for the disproportionate impact on black residents other than implicit and explicit racial bias.”
The 105-page report documented incident after incident of police officers using excessive and brutal force against the Ferguson community, and citizens being denied their constitutional rights by both the police and the court system. “Distrust of the Ferguson police department is longstanding and largely attributable to Ferguson’s approach to law enforcement,” the DoJ said, and given the findings of the investigation, it’s not hard to understand why.
Racism was rampant and undisciplined in the Ferguson justice system
Ferguson officials: disparities were not the result of racism, but people not exercising "personal responsibility." pic.twitter.com/fecLPyMBQZ
— Adam Serwer (@AdamSerwer) March 4, 2015
One of the most flagrant examples of this discrimination was revealed in a series of derogatory emails outlined by the DoJ.
Details of seven racist emails from Ferguson officials unearthed by Justice Department investigators pic.twitter.com/mmU2zp1TFz
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) March 4, 2015
"Don't pass out motherfucker because I'm not carrying you to my car." pic.twitter.com/J7qqVjxQ7r
— Mark Berman (@markberman) March 4, 2015
Police harassed and used excessive force on members of the community, predominantly affecting black residents
DOJ: Ferguson police sicced a dog on an unarmed 14 year old. pic.twitter.com/MRihqE0KIi
— Adam Serwer (@AdamSerwer) March 4, 2015
“Nearly 90% of documented force used by FPD officers was used against African Americans. In every canine bite incident for which racial information is available, the person bitten was African American,” the DoJ said.
#ferguson PD harrassing ppl pic.twitter.com/2ZGOBIhiYJ
— Bassem Masri (@bassem_masri) March 4, 2015
DOJ: Ferguson police arrested a woman for verbally complaining about how police treated an employee. pic.twitter.com/8cKLlKiag7
— Adam Serwer (@AdamSerwer) March 4, 2015
32-year-old black man resting in his car after playing basketball. Then Ferguson PD shows up... pic.twitter.com/MLnKd3Sniu
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 4, 2015
The discrimination went far beyond slurs. Ferguson’s justice system was acting as a ‘collection agency’, according to Holder
“Ferguson has allowed its focus on revenue generation to fundamentally compromise the role of Ferguson’s municipal court,” the report said:
Instead, the court primarily uses its judicial authority as the means to compel the payment of fines and fees that advance the City’s financial interests. This has led to court practices that violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process and equal protection requirements. The court’s practices also impose unnecessary harm, overwhelmingly on African-American individuals, and run counter to public safety.
Here’s an example the DoJ gave of how the system was rigged to exact crippling fees from those caught up – often unfairly – in Ferguson’s justice system.
Ferguson courts forced a black woman into homelessness over a single illegal parking incident. pic.twitter.com/2oCfWh1GkT
— Adam Serwer (@AdamSerwer) March 4, 2015
And once again, race was an overwhelming factor in how citizens were treated.
While persecuting black residents, white Ferguson officials collude to erase tickets for friends & colleagues – DoJ pic.twitter.com/ClF2AIHFNa
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) March 4, 2015
“All of these conditions, unlawful practices, and constitutional violations have not only severely undermined the public trust, eroded police legitimacy, and made local residents less safe – but created an intensely charged atmosphere where people feel under assault and under siege by those charged to serve and protect them,” Holder said, before pledging that “nothing was off the table” when it came to reforming Ferguson’s law enforcement.
